A crop worth celebrating (photo by Anna Satterfield)
Sep 13, 2024
ARLINGTON, VA – Last week, USA Rice kicked off September’s National Rice Month (NRM) with a slew of promotional activities and promotions aimed at raising awareness of domestic rice and paying homage to those responsible for producing it.
Thirty-four years ago, September was designated as National Rice Month through an official act of Congress and presidential proclamation to honor the more than 125,000 individuals responsible for producing, milling, handling, and processing U.S.-grown rice, highlighting the cultural, nutritional, and economic importance of U.S.-grown rice, and showcasing the domestic rice industry.
“Most consumers are disconnected from where their food comes from and NRM provides us a great opportunity to educate and help appreciate the people behind the grain who work tirelessly throughout the year to provide a consistent supply of the safest, most sustainably grown rice available,” said Cameron Jacobs, USA Rice vice president of domestic promotion. “I am hard pressed to find another product that is as nutritious, affordable, culturally relevant, and applicable to almost everyone’s diet as U.S.-grown rice is and that deserves to not only be recognized, but truly celebrated.”
Consumers can look forward to a robust social media campaign; an in-store and online promotion with Mid-Atlantic retailer Weis Markets that features in-store audio messaging, a two-page spread dedicated to NRM in the store magazine, and a TV segment; a retail promotion with the ShopRite grocery chain across multiple states; distribution of NRM-themed editions of the consumer-facing Think Rice Newsletter and school foodservice-focused Schools Think Rice e-newsletter; recipe production from Chef Hari Cameron; and a strategic NRM influencer campaign.
The major rice-producing states honor NRM with their own unique celebrations while making generous rice donations to local food banks to ensure their neighbors in need share in the harvest bounty.
In addition to all the promotional activities, the annual National Rice Month scholarship video contest is in full swing for high school seniors from the six major rice-growing states. Thanks to the generous contribution of scholarship sponsor, American Commodity Company, eligible participants can submit a three-minute video for a chance to win prizes totaling $10,000. Video entries are judged based on creativity, quality, and effectiveness in telling a unique story about U.S.-grown rice.